Hi line and lapower mp3 bluetooth
 

Hi mates

I just bought this 'lapower' Chinese mp3 and bluetooth box:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Car-Blueto...-/111727574790
and thought it will fit straight away in place of my cd changer. But after removing the changer and head unit I realized that I had different connectors. Back of the head unit looks like that:
http://s13.postimg.org/xbdh6wpg7/radio1.jpg




and the connectors from the mp3 box is this one:

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NjAwWDYwMA...UHabx/$_12.JPG


but in some thread here someone said that there should be bmw connector somewhere underneath aircon panel? Is there any chance to connect this mp3 unit right there? Just asking if it's worth to remove aircon panel and check it out or should I just send the unit back to the seller?

You may be able to connect it to the lead that went to your cd changer. The bad news is that you'll probably have to bypass the plugs on both leads and use crimps or a chocblock type connector. Before you do you'll need to know the wiring of the chinese unit lead. The CD changer lead from the hi-line system has two wires each for left and right audio (although there's no problem tying the earths together) power +ve and earth (again you can tie the earth with the audio earths) and lastly the IBUS wire. It may be that the chinese unit may not work with the highline if it doesn't communicate via IBUS - I don't know. I seem to recall the cd changer for the highline being different to the ones for the other stereo systems - althougth the one in our 1.8 with the non-highline system does look the same as a highline one (I haven't had it out of the glovebox to check though). Plugging the chinese cd changer into the back of the (highline) head unit is a non-starter, it's actually the radio/amplifier unit in the boot that it connects to (the controller of the highline system).

Trust me not to read the whole post properly. the lead(s) pictured above may be the correct solution. The large square 17 pin plug to socket bit should plug into the socket behind the ashtray, the plug that currently plugs into that socket then plugs into the socket part of the new lead and the white plug from the new chinese unit plugs into the white plug from it.

to get at it all you'll have to remove the head (already done :)), remove the aircon panel, remove the switch panel and any switches above the ashtray and then remove the ashtray (it's all one unit with the cupholder(s) and lighter socket). You should then be able to see the large square 17 pin plug behind where the ashtray was to the left wedged down at the bottom.

Give that a go and let us know how you get on.

P.S
I see you are only down in Bedworth - if you get stuck we can always organize you to pop up here (Northampton) and get some help.

Check out the forum for the local sausage and spanners group here

Ok, here's the update. I removed the ashtray unit and found the proper plug. However there's still one small plug which I cannot connect to anything. There's 8 wires from the mp3 device, 4 wires are connected to that bmw plug and 4 are going to this smaller plug...
http://s24.postimg.org/og0boeiet/radio3.jpg


http://s2.postimg.org/nyb0y3555/radio4.jpg



After disconnecting cd changer (due to box manual) the device is visible on the system. I can switch folders on usb, I can pair it with my mobile or use aux in cable. But there's no sound at all. Any suggestions?



EDIT:
there's the diagram of that plug from bmw

http://www.tehnomagazin.com/images/B...0connector.jpg




but unfortunately I cannot see which wires are connected in the plug. On the other side I can see those wires:

http://s9.postimg.org/683jgoyfz/radio5.jpg

It may need connecting to the CD changer lead if the Bluetooth unit is designed to be fitted in place of the CD changer. It would then use the existing audio output circuit used by the CD changer.

It's the solution probably. I just cannot find the diagram of the cd changer plug. Does anyone of you have it?

See if the black connector fits the connector on the cable to the CD changer (the CD changer end).

OK, here's the temporary solution:

http://s10.postimg.org/5vzsoqdd5/radio6.jpg



Just used two wires from this black plug and found two in original changer plug. The case is that at the moment I've got mono sound but it's playing both channels on all speakers. It's paired with my mobile and handsfree is working as well. I had no time left to find stereo connection and just had to put all things back into place. I will continue the work probably next weekend.
The other problem I had is that I can hear some interfering buzzing sound when listening anything from the device.

ps. the black connector doesn't fit cd changer plug as those are both male. I also cannot use the female plug as it's slightly different

Looking at the back of the stereo in post 4, it looks similar to the Harmony model, which may be what the Bluetooth unit is designed for.

The pin layout for that is:

Pin 1 Audio L +
Pin 2 Audio R +
Pin 3 Screen Earth
Pin 4 Not Used
Pin 5 K-Bus
Pin 6 Audio L
Pin 7 Audio R
Pin 8 Earth
Pin 9 Not Used
Pin 10 Battery +

As your Bluetooth unit may have Battery +, Earth and K-Bus connected via the 17 pin connector, it may only need pins 1,2,3,6,&7 connected together.

I will try to figure it out next weekend. I have just four wires to connect somewhere so I suppose those are audio L/R and +/- but right now it's working when I connected just two wires.
I figured that this interfering noise is the engine - when the engine is off there's no noise at all. I need to check if it's not the microphone causing this noise. But anyway it's playing songs and I can stream audio from mobile, hansfree is working as well.